Smyrna Town Council unanimously passed a motion Monday night to send the discussion of putting streetlights on Carter Road from Sunnyside Road to Route 13 to the Finance Committee.

Discussion regarding streetlights on that portion of Carter Road was brought to the table at the urging of Councilman Anthony DeFeo. He had previously asked Town Manager Dave Hugg to look into the cost of such a project.

DeFeo said that stretch of land is one of the only areas in town without streetlights. The state and town discussed putting streetlights on that portion of Carter Road when it was built, DeFeo said, but neither wanted to pay.

"That road is used more and more, and as work is done from Sunnyside Road to Route 300 you can expect the traffic to get worse," DeFeo said.

DeFeo pointed out that he sees a lot of people from seniors to children walking down the road, even in the early morning hours when he's going to work.

Hugg said that he spoke to the company putting in LED lights in the DelDOT Carter Road project and was given a quote of roughly $35,000 for 20 lights if the company installed the lights; it would be $28,000 if the town installed the lights.

Hugg said the town could do the project, but it would eliminate the street lighting fund in this year's budget. Doing the project would force the town to not put new lights on Route 13.

Mayor Pat Stombaugh said the area definitely needs streetlights but it's not in the budget and the item should've been brought to the Finance Committee first.

"The money is there. We just wouldn't be able to do Route 13, which has streetlights," DeFeo said. "We could take the street lighting money for the area with no lighting."

Hugg said he's reached out to Kent Count legislators about possible funding, but has yet to hear back. Municipal Street Aid funding could be used, but Hugg said it would take money away from paving town roads.